Resolutions to me are meant to be broken, as opposed to rules which everyone says are meant to be just to sound cool. As the clock struck midnight not this year but to bring in 2023 I noticed this. So instead of making resolutions going into last year I wrote a list of ‘aims’. My reasoning was that if it was an aim instead I wouldn’t feel as bad about not achieving what was written. And I can happily report that it worked.
In 2023 I did a fair amount of what aims I had, 12 out of the 23, and I feel happy to have done so. However that leaves the question of what I didn’t do.
Of the list here exactly is what I did not do which is unexpected as you’d think I would say what I did first. Anyway, –
I didn’t Learn to Edit Videos on The Computer for TikTok/Youtube – I’m still mostly on my iPhone.
I didn’t get my First Tattoo – I chickened out because I want to push at being an actor, and didn’t want any other reason aside from my acting for someone not to cast me. Tattoos can require costume changes or make-up artists to cover up what is there.
I didn’t go to 2-5 Stand up routines – I went to Gigs and Live Theatre instead.
I didn’t do an extreme sport – I didn’t want to do it by myself.
I didn’t apply for a Reality TV/Game show – I should have.
I didn’t go to a Professional Wrestling Show – I should have. I love wrestling.
I didn’t do an Open Mic Night – I didn’t write any material.
I didn’t form a band – I should have. Even if we sucked or I did.
I didn’t do a Track Day experience – I should have.
I didn’t move into my own home – I couldn’t. Have you seen house prices for a single guy, late 20s and in admin who acts mostly for experience, a handshake and to smile? Yeah, it’s expensive.
I didn’t Write – I most certainly should have.
Like I said at the beginning however, I am not ashamed of what I didn’t do. Some of it carries over into this year but I was upset that I didn’t write at all last year. Put it down to changes in my lifestyle like gaining 20lbs from going to the gym for my health, getting the most acting work I’ve ever had, travelling, struggling, bouncing back, becoming unrelentingly driven, talking openly when that got tiresome, finding balance, acceptance – all ultimately are excuses. Positive excuses but still excuses not to have written something.
This year then I aim to write once a month. That seems reasonable, and I’m allowing myself to write more if the feeling is there. Writing as honestly as I feel comfortable doing.
That being said, or written, I think last year was hectic enough for me to almost forget that writing is something I really enjoy. And I mean writing for the sake of writing, instead of writing scripts for TikTok or character sheets and research for acting. It got even weirder for me when out of the blue on a family visit my mum said I had become a better writer. Better? I hadn’t been writing!
She pointed out that I had been lying to myself. I had been writing and she pointed to the aforementioned TikToks, character sheets, research, and then to the many captions I put on my Instagram posts. That has never been something I stopped doing, and reading back over it all I was surprised. I did get better, particularly in the captions where I painted a clear picture of my solo trip to Singapore and Vietnam, where I went again solo to London to see a band I like called Goldfish, and where I got to be on stage and screen with some insanely talented people. I definitely got better.
Let that be a lesson to any writer. If you love it, even in a supposed exile from writing, you still somehow are writing something.
I should give you now what I did do, with an apology for anyone who missed this blog. Hopefully all is forgiven but if not I’d understand. A year is a long time not to read something of mine, and again many apologies to however many of you there are.
What I did do in 2023 then –
I went to more acting auditions – Absolutely did. The most I have so far.
Travel at least twice – Try 3 times. London, Singapore and Vietnam (The latter 2 you can expect writing for)
Train in the Gym 2-3 Times a Week – As soon as I began to enjoy going to the gym, this happened naturally. My advice to anyone who wants to start is to push through it being a chore and to talk through that time with someone who loves it. It gets really good but it is a struggle at the start.
Post more frequently to TikTok – Had its quiet moments but mostly I can give myself this one.
Go to 5 Gigs – Each were a joy, even when I saw one with a still severely sprained ankle from falling off a stage a couple months before. Both sides of the ankle. It was hell.
Go to 2 Theatre Performances – 5. Every time coming back learning, or kindly stealing, something I saw an actor do for myself.
Get out the house more – My roommates confirmed this by asking where I had been most weeks.
Update your wardrobe – I had no choice not to. 20 extra pounds needed a little extra room to breathe!
Start drawing again – I started.
Make more contacts from acting/TikTok – More so friends then contacts but those too.
Try for one Random Act of Kindness a day – I’m a little embarrassed by this, but yes I do this consciously. Nobody knows I do – well, now they might look for it if they give this a read.
Laugh more – Went weeks at a time without stopping. Aside from when asleep as that would be creepy.
What I hope you can learn from this is that it is completely okay and completely normal to mess up your resolutions. In a TikTok I made that not many people saw I explained this as viewing yourself not as a ‘New Year, New Me’ but like a smartphone. Every year there is a ‘new’ one that seems to be different but really it’s only upgraded a little and not a lot. Maybe it has a stronger body, better colour scheme, or friendlier software, but it still isn’t perfect and does what it was good at last year. That’s us. Aiming for the top and even if we come up short it’s still that bit higher than the last time we went for it.
Resolutions do not allow you to learn and to try again. Aims do.
Happy New Year and I wish you all the best you can muster from it. Write soon. Dan x
Aims for 2024 – The 24 in ‘24
- Get more Stage & Screen Auditions
- Travel at least twice – Far or Closer to Home
- Train in The Gym 3-4 Times a Week
- Take more risks with content on TikTok
- Go to 2-5 Gigs *Know of 1 already – seeing The Smashing Pumpkins*
- Go to 3-5 Theatre Performances
- Find a way into Voice Acting
- Take more photos with your Digital Camera
- Read 1 Book per Month
- Write for WordPress Once a Month
- Take 1 Video per Month for a Year Compilation
- Go to a Professional Wrestling Event
- Finish The Patch Jacket
- Write your own Acting Monologues for TikTok
- Make contacts from Acting, TikTok, etc.
- Update your wardrobe with Unique Items Only
- Try an Improv Class or Troop
- Learn a New Skill
- Go to a Comic Con, Q&A Panel or Fan Meet
- Write a letter (Online or Post) to an Inspiration
- Create a Series for TikTok (a few parts or Contd)
- Say ‘Yes’ just that little bit more
- Maximise your minutes as best you can
- Laugh More than you did in 2023 (which was a lot)
Dan Abides 